Obama and McCain support science

For the past eight years, scientists have been counting down the days until George W. Bush’s presidency comes to an end. (And so have a lot of other people, for that matter.) You can’t really blame them—with the administration trying to cover up scientific evidence of climate change and booting the presidential science adviser out of the White House, it’s no wonder Bush has no microscope-wielding friends.

While most environmentalists clearly favor Obama for president, the next administration is sure to be better for scientists, no matter which party takes office.

Both presidential candidates—Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama—offer policies farther from the president than they are from each other. They advocate mandatory caps on the main global warming gas and favor federal funding for embryonic stem cell research—positions opposite the Bush Administration.

Obama and McCain promise to seek, not censor, government science advice and to restore the White House science adviser’s office.

The differences between them are more notable in the nuances of policy than in the broad brush of campaigns. Both have promised more money for scientific research, though the ongoing financial crisis may make that tough.

And some of those “nuances” involve the candidates’ environmental policies. While Obama is pushing for more development in renewable energies like wind, solar, and geothermal, McCain emphasizes domestic drilling and nuclear power, a distinction that enviros are quick to point out.

But despite the environmental cards stacked in Obama’s favor, one thing is definitely clear: A new Administration is sure to bring happier days for scientists—and that’s something we can all look forward to.